West Virginia Democrat. [volume] (Charles Town, W. Va.) 1885-1890, 1887-06-03

his employer IN an indirect way, as
to the man and his past record.
l have known many cases of this
kind.
a FUND FOR A REFORMATORY.
II has often seemed strange to me
that people who remember charita-
BILE institutions in their wills do not
leave fund to the aid of those who
may have been unfortunate enough
to make a first false step. The great
difficulty in men coming from prison
with the intention of reforming is,
that it is almost impossible for them
to get employment, owing to their
lack of reference. In leaving a pris-
on man scarcely ever receives
more than money enough to pay his
fare back to the point from which
he was convicted and q day or twO's
lodging and board. He has no other
clothes than those given to him at
the prison. If he is man who is
without home or without friends
to help him at the end of his two or
three days board, he is by necessity
obliged to seek for food, or money
with which to obtain it, from the
very men who above all others he
should be kept away from. This is
especially the case with a man who
has been known as a professional
criminal. Falling in with his old
associates, not being able to get
any employment, and no one taking
any interest in him to get him en-
ployment, it is only question of
short time when he is actually
forced into resuming his criminal
career. The question as to how these
men can be employed. OF course it
is not possible to force them into
employment; neither would it be
proper to put them into responsible
positions. They should be graded
according to their intelligence and
education. There are many places
where men Of this kind could be
employed, where there would be no
motive for them to steal, and where
it would be impossible for them to
do so. Many Of them would find
employment themselves, and if let
alone would continue in such en-
plovment. but some society would
have to be formed similar to the So
city of the Prevention Cruelty to
Animals to protect them. Its agents
should be in all parts Of the country.
For instance, where q man has been
convicted of a crime in New York,
on being released from prison it
might be necessary, in order to keep
him away from his old associates
and give him new start in life, to
send him to some other city or local
itv. Communication could be kept
up between these various agents of
the society in the different parts of
the country, and one could help the
other. | am satisfied that if an or
ganization of this kind we've once
started and properly managed under
honest and competent officers and
agents, it would soon gain the con
fidence of the public, and charitable
men and women who would come to
its aid, and be among the most earn
est and influential looking toward
the reformation Of these men and
women. Men coming from prison
would soon learn to have confidence
in the society, and would be con
vinced that they could trust it, and
that people merely for the sake Of
curiosity could not ascertain any
thing in regard to them OF course
there would be criminals who would
endCavor to impose on the society
and try to use it for the purpose Of
promoting some of their schemes,
but l venture to say that the num-
Der would be very few. The society
should also make it n rule that
where an effort had been made to re
form a man, and he had intention.
ally and wilfully deceived the socie-
ty and still pursued 4 life of crime,
the society's course would be to give
information against him and have
him punished.